Posted on April, 23, 2021 at 08:26 am
Dar es Salaam — President Samia Suluhu Hassan has on Thursday, April 22, 2021 announced several priorities for her government in the areas of agriculture, fisheries and livestock.
President Samia outlined several changes in her first address to Parliament in Dodoma since taking oath of office as head of state replacing the fallen leader, Dr John Magufuli who died in March.
Speaking during her first appearance at the August House, President Hassan said the country's agricultural productivity remained low despite the fact that 65 percent of Tanzanians are farmers.
She said the sector accounts for only 27 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 25 percent of foreign currency despite enabling the country to sustain itself in food security and provide 60 percent of raw materials to the industries.
"This is because of low productivity. For instance while one is required to produce eight tonnes per hectare, Tanzania's farmers produce only 1.9 tonnes per hecctare. In the same vein, a Tanzanian cotton farmer produces 250 kilograms per acre instead of 1,000 to 1,250 per acre."
She added: This applies to all other crops. The same also applies to livestock whereby the sector contributes only 7.4 percent to the GDP, despite the fact that Tanzania has the second largest livestock population in Africa."
Source: Citizen